The National Electrification Administration (NEA) successfully rehabilitated and put online again the 1 megawatt Amanjuray mini-hydropower plant of the Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative Inc. (Esamelco) that it originally constructed 33 years ago.
NEA administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda lauded the project, saying the government’s original investment in the facility had been maintained.
“It is heartening to see that a cooperative has its own power source. This is yours already. Take advantage of it for life,” Almeda said in ceremonial rites at the facility on Tuesday.
NEA said the plant was originally commissioned in 1991 after initiating its construction through a grant from the United Kingdom.
The NEA said the facility generates energy from the Amanjuray Falls that it distributes to electricity consumers in the municipalities of Lawaan and Balangiga, Eastern Samar.
Almeda also inaugurated the same day the new 20-megavolt ampere substation of Esamelco in Borongan City, to serve the increasing power demand of member-consumer-owners in the area as well as the neighboring municipalities of Balangkayan, Maydolong, San Julian, Llorente and Sulat.
Esamelco serves 597 barangays in Eastern Samar and estimated customer base of 117,443.
The cooperative operates and maintains over 2,101 kilometers of distribution lines which has peak load demand of 23 MW.
NEA supervisesl 121 electric cooperatives nationwide.
